TWO of the UK’s major construction companies have been shortlisted to build the new Alder Hey children’s hospital.

Laing and Balfour Beatty will now go head-to-head in the race to be named preferred bidder for the £288m project.

They will now draw up their final plans for the hospital, which have to be handed in in March next year. The winner will be announced in June and building should start in April, 2012. Alder Hey trust bosses hope the new health park will be ready to open in October, 2014.

Project director Richard Glenn added: “We are delighted two such major organisations want to work with us to deliver what will be a tremendous facility.”